The project was started in a Refugee camp in Jenin. I think the above picture speaks for what it represents quite well. One fascinating thing I read about this project revolves around one of its founders, Juliano Mer-Khamis . In 2011 he was unexpectedly shot (5 times) and killed outside of the theater. Haaretz describes him as having "Jewish and native Palestinian Greek Orthodox Christian parentage," a profoundly complex mix. Apparently, soon after Juliano's death, several other members of the theater were jailed for a number of months. Juliano described his vision of the theater when he said,
“You don't have to heal the children in Jenin. We are not trying to heal
their violence. We try to challenge it into more productive ways. And
more productive ways are not an alternative to violence. What we are
doing in the Theatre is not trying to be a replacement or an alternative
to the resistance of the Palestinians in the struggle for liberation.
Just the opposite. This must be clear. I know it’s not good for
fund-raising, because I’m not a social worker, I’m not a good Jew going
to help the Arabs, and I’m not a philanthropic Palestinian who comes to
feed the poor. We are joining, by all means, the struggle for
liberation of the Palestinian people, which is our liberation
struggle…We’re not healers. We’re not good Christians. We are freedom
fighters.”
I commend his honesty and bluntness. His is a fresh and hidden truth.
In a video on the theater's website commemorating his life, a speaker says of Juliano's character, "He didn't introduce himself as a revolutionary or a hero. He didn't come to promote himself or become famous. he came for a cause. He believed in the just and human Palestinian cause. If the palestine conflict were solved, Juliano would go the Sudan, Uganda, Africa or anywhere to fight for justice, and we would fight with him."
A great story.
On a lighter note, through some internet roaming I found out that there is a Palestinian Circus School. Great pictures here.
This is great. And interesting that the theater is in the same town that WEDO cannot go to perform (dicussed in the Al Jazeera interview with Barenboim).
ReplyDeleteAfter watching the video on the Freedom Theater's website, I was reminded of "The Theater of the Oppressed," by Augusto Boal. It has the same ideological component, using individual and communal expression and performance as a form of protest.
Uch, both the freedom theater and the circus are such important projects, hopefully replicated the world over. Maybe we could do something involving theater or circus in our project? Maybe in the way we present?
ReplyDeleteJuliano's statement about the freedom theater, kind of finagles its position, as a charitable organization, to clearly avoid the socially acceptable paths for charity which are mainly through religious structures. "We're not healers." Is an honest realistic statement. The healer title is really complicated, especially when juxtaposed with the title of freedom fighter.